d off they went and you could not tell
which was the most delighted the colt or the young lady. At first she
was very good to him, and only rode him short distances and fed him
high. He was perfectly docile and she had full control over him.
Afterwards she exacted more service from him, would ride him longer
distances, and later along she not only rode him long distances but rode
him hard and fast and fed and petted him less. Sometimes the horse was
exhausted and about to give out, but in order to revive him all she had
to do was to make a little of him, talk coaxingly and pet him; and
instantly his eye would brighten, animation would come back to him, and
he would do his best to travel. But this kind of usage was telling on
the horse and he was growing poorer all the time. Still she was exacting
and demanded as much from him as ever. After awhile, he could not begin
to travel as he once did, for he was getting weaker and weaker, and even
her pettings were losing power to put life into him, for it seemed at
times as if it had all gone out of him.

"One hot day when she was riding him and he seemed very much fatigued,
they were going along the road where there was a fine rich pasture well
fenced, with some fine young horses feeding in it. When they saw Prince
and his mistress they ran round the field, then along the fence where
the road was, and every now and then would look at the poor worn-out
colt carrying his mistress. Then they would run a piece, throw up their
hind legs, toss their heads, showing how much freedom they enjoyed.
Again they would run along the fence and look at him. One of the horses
in the field said to the other, "Why, there is our old companion Prince.
I would not have known him, he looks so old and poor. How thin he has
become. Why don't he throw that woman off and be free like ourselves?
Don't you see how she is wearing him out by inches?" "Ah!" said another
horse, "He was free like ourselves at one time. There is not a horse in
this pasture that looks as handsome and fat as he did, but he could not
enjoy his freedom. He was restless, till he became a willing slave to
that woman's smiles, caresses and pettings. He won't live long; she is
too hard and makes too many demands on him. But notice even now his eye
will brighten if she pats him on his neck a little and says a few kind
sweet words to him, how he tries to go faster, but it is only for a very
few yards; then he is back again to his old gait